A 1D Schiff base zinc polymer as a versatile metallo-ligand for the synthesis of polynuclear zinc cages.

The 1D polymeric Schiff base zinc complex, [LZn(2)Et(2)](n), where LH(2) = (NN'-ethylene-bis(4-iminopentan-2-one)) has been demonstrated as a useful synthetic metallo building block for the synthesis of homo and heteronuclear zinc cages. The reaction of [LZn(2)Et(2)](n) with CdI(2) afforded the hetero-nuclear cage, 1, [L(2)Zn(4)(Et)(2)CdI(4)], while reaction with HgI(2) afforded a hexanuclear zinc cage, [L(2)Zn(6)(Et)(4)(μ(4)O)(μ(3)OEt)I], 2. The versatility of [LZn(2)Et(2)](n) as a metallo building block is demonstrated through the reaction with ferrocenyl carboxylic acid, affording the ferrocenyl supported zinc cage, [L(2)Zn(8)(FcCO(2))(4)(Et)(2)(OEt)(2)(μ(4)O)(2)], 3, while the reaction with Er(III) acetate afforded the decanuclear zinc cage, [L(3)Zn(10)(μ(4)O)(4)(Et)(6)], 4.